Whole Again
by Ria cola
Summary: Kakashi has a dark Secret,then a village is burned down and only to survivors remain. But who are these girls? and why does one of them intrigue Kakashi.
1. Past events

Written by: Ria Cola, and Shinobiwolf05

Title: Whole Again

Chapter one: Past events

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did I'd be at the mall duh. But (but kiji moms name here) I do own.

Summery; Kakashi has a deep dark scerect. A teenage girl is the only survivor from her village that was burned to the ground. The people of Konoha have decided to take the girl in as one of their own ninjas. But what's this all have to do with Kakashi.

Whole Again

It was an unusual thing to see his three students out to train so early in the morning. They normally complained about coming to train so often, but Kakashi was impressed that they were so determined to grow stronger. Even Sakura was taking a bigger part in training with her teammates.

As Kakashi watched his young charges, his mind began to wander. Thirteen years… Tomorrow would mark the thirteenth anniversary since he lost the love of his life. Just one day… His team carried on with their training as he fell into a memory-filled sleep.

xxxxx

_The time had come again when Konohagakure celebrated one of its many annual festivals. _

_Weaving through a crowded room, a younger Kakashi approached a girl with beautiful auburn hair and dazzling hazel eyes; she was approximately the same age as him. They had grown up together, and they knew each other like the back of their hands. She was not one well suited to the rigors of being a ninja, and chose to become a medical student instead. In fact, they met when Kakashi had taken a particularly nasty wound to his stomach. Her superiors enjoyed humoring her, and assigned her as his nurse on numerous occasions. Kakashi may bashfully admit that he faked a couple of injuries just to be in the presence of this angelic beauty. Her family moved to a far away village, but they wrote to each other often, and she never failed to show up for the same annual festival. As she had done tonight…_

"_Hey there, hot stuff. Are you waiting for your handsome date?"_

_Her angelic, teasing voice was like sweet music to his ears. "Knock off the charades, Kashi-kun." She playfully glared at him, giggling when he smirked back._

_They had spent the entire night in each other's company, indulging in activities that were perhaps _not_ the best choice at the time… A biology lesson for two, so to speak._

_Another year passed and the two lovers had come to a prime age for marriage. The life of a ninja could take one away for weeks on end, but Kakashi did not want to leave Tenchiko to spend so much time alone. And there was always the risk that he would not come back from a mission alive. He was willing to throw away his active career to be a loving and devoted husband. Boys like that are always rare… _

_Tenchiko would not have it. _

_Kakashi remembers that rainy morning as clear as day. He had awoken from peaceful slumber and reached over the other side of the small bed to embrace his lover. His hand met nothing but a blanket, neatly made, as if no one had ever lay under that side. A neatly folded peace of paper sat forebodingly on her pillow. _

_To my dearest Kashi-kun,_

_Before you come to any conclusions, I want to say this_

_I have loved you more than any other man in my life;_

_You are the only one I have given myself to, and it will_

_remain that way forever. My heart is intertwined with _

_yours, and there will be no undoing it. I am not worth_

_you quitting a job you've worked so hard for, and neither_

_should I jeopardize your honor as a citizen of Konoha._

_I may not be a ninja, but I understand the philosophy that_

_is taught to you. I do not wish to distract you from doing _

_your duty. I wish to set you free, Kakashi. Don't dwell on _

_what could have been, but what should be. Farewell, my _

_love, and may peace always be in your soul._

_Yours, and only yours, _

_Tenchiko_

_Kakashi had never forgiven himself for letting her go. Seeking to fill the void in his pathetic life, he buried himself in those smutty books that he is always seen reading. The stories of cheap romance and sex he read about were like a drug, giving him just enough respite to get through until he needed to read it again. He laughed to himself many times, imagining how Tenchiko would react to his questionable reading interests. She would no doubt set a match to those little books. Kakashi used the knowledge and secrets he acquired as an Anbu to search for where she ran off to, away from her family. His efforts were in vain, but he refused to give up. He kept asking himself if she knew he would give up everything for her._

"_Maybe that's why she left. At times I'm jealous of you, my Rival. You have a woman whose love for you is stronger than her own concerns." A much younger Gai had had told him. The rather homely young man was always in competition with Kakashi, but he never failed to support the silver-haired jounin when it counted. It was one of the few times he saw Gai with a serious face…_

xxxxx

Well reader what did you all think did ya like it. don't worry there a lot more coming I've got 6 more pages already typed up Shinbiwolf05and i just got to edit. Read and review.

A/ni know the letter may or may not have been to clear on why Tenchiko left. So if you didn't catch it she is with child, Kakashi's child.

God bless


	2. chapter two

Whole Again

By _Ria Cola _and_ ShinobiWolf_

**Ria Cola: You have some weird favorite characters…**

_**ShinobiWolf: Not as weird as Shino rapping. **_

**Chapter Two: We Interrupt This Meeting…**

Time is supposed to heal the heart, but Kakashi found its effects rather lacking. More than twelve years had passed and that same dream dwelt in his mind.

He was filled with questions. Where had Tenchiko been, all these years? Did they have a son, or a daughter? Twins? Had they followed in their father's footsteps and become a ninja, or were they gifted in the medical field as their mother had been? Were his lover and his child warm, clothed, and fed? Kakashi wanted answers, but they would not just come to him as he idly sat by. He vowed to find them and have them as his family, as it should have been from the beginning. At times he wondered what his child thought of him, but with Tenchiko as the mother he was not worried. Tomorrow, on his day off from both his duties as a jounin and as Cell 7's teacher, he would visit nearby towns and ask if anyone has heard of a damsel named Tenchiko and a child. He, or she perhaps, would be the same age as his own students by now…

Still sitting on that same tree branch, Kakashi leaned forward and replaced his book back in a pocket on his vest. To distract himself from wallowing in self-pity, he resumed watching his students as they began to slow down. The sky was just beginning to turn a warm shade of orange; they would need to go home and have dinner soon.

For a moment after he first passed them to become his students, he had his doubts. The life of a ninja was all business, and no emotions or petty feelings could get in the way, especially when your orders are to take a life. His students had already experienced so much… Zabuza and Haku, Sasuke's rogue brother gracing them with his unpleasant appearance, Orochimaru… And worst of all, they had almost lost Sasuke to that vile snake. Kakashi hoped that his students would be saved from any more such horrors until they were much older. Sasuke had experienced things that no boy, or _man_ for that matter should ever see. Naruto, alone as he was, had not the chance to become _bonded_ to his family before they were taken from him, slain in front of his eyes…

Numberless times his students had proved to him what they could do. Even Sakura… Kakashi heard of her valiant determination in the Forest of Death, how she had fought tooth and nail (quite literally) to protect her fallen comrades. She was an honorable ninja, but was not suited for the emotional challenge of being at a higher rank. Sakura reminded him of Tenchiko. She would not have the heart to kill a living, breathing target…

Kakashi stepped from the tree branch and landed in front of Naruto, startling him for the usual effect.

"Dammit! I really hate it when you do that!"

"That's enough for a while. Same time, same place, three days." And with that he was gone.

"Have I ever mentioned how much he creeps me out?" Naruto complained.

"Quite often." Sasuke remarked, hands in pockets as he slinked quietly away.

"Hey, Naruto… Have you noticed how detached Kakashi-sensei's been lately?"

"Hm? Notice what?"

Sakura gave him a light knock on the head, leaving him to wonder what on earth he did wrong. …But… She really could sense something different about their teacher…

xxxxx

After Kakashi had left his students to themselves, he walked to the Hokage's office. Tsunade herself, elders, and other teachers were doing as his students often did when they met. Waiting.

"Really now Kakashi, you should start acting your age and be on time for once." Kurenai scolded him.

"Can you even imagine me being on time?"

Kurenai thought hard about that…

"Alright everyone, let's get down to business." Tsunade massaged her forehead, immediately regretting how much sake she had to drink with her breakfast. "We all know that the country of Light lies just past our borders. Normally I wouldn't be concerned with it, after all, it _is_ a neutral country. But I've received word that its main village of Kouseki Hikari has been burned to the ground, and I'm hoping that catastrophe won't be spreading to our own country of Fire."

The jounins present in the room were listening very intently as Tsunade continued.

"I will be sending a few of you to investigate the cause of the blaze, and hopefully keep the same from happening here. And, despite the Country of Light's neutrality, it is our duty as a border country to shelter any possible survivors. I am hoping that this was only an accident…"

"Do they have any enemies?" Kurenai suggested.

"None that are on our records. As a neutral country, it never took any sides. Kouseki Hikari was full of ninjas, but their missions never went beyond their own borders."

"Well, that narrows down the suspects. Of course, there weren't any to begin with…" Kakashi stated.

SLAM

Everyone jumped when the doors to Tsunade's office slammed open. Two girls around Naruto's age weakly stepped in. One was helping the other walk, but neither was in the best of shape. They were both covered from head to toe in burns, bruises, and cuts; the weaker girl, clinging to her friend's shoulder as if her life depended on it, had a large gash in her stomach and was bleeding from somewhere on her head, making her white-silver hair streaked with crimson. They were covered in dirt and were adorned with ninja forehead protectors. Ones with the symbol of Kouseki Hikari on the metal plate…

Kurenai and Gai ran to support the young strangers. They reeked of smoke.

"H-help us…" The more aware, dark-haired girl managed to speak softly. Even whispering took most of the strength that she had left. "Kiji… she's bled too much…" The dark-haired girl finally collapsed as well.

Kurenai picked up one of the girls, and Gai the other. "I'm afraid we'll have to continue this meeting later Miss Tsunade, these girls need immediate medical attention."

It didn't take Tsunade's medical expertise to tell her that. She immediately waved them off, then followed after, beckoning Kakashi and Asuma to come as well. _Those wounds were caused by ninja weapons; there has been some serious foul play here…_

Well there you are, next chapter will revel who These girls really are.


	3. chapter 3

Whole Again

By _Ria Cola _and _ShinobiWolf_

_There is a minor violence warning for one of the flashbacks. It's a little gruesome…_

Chapter Three: New Beginnings

The soft morning breeze made the sheer, white curtains of the hospital room flutter about. Singing birds outside could be heard through the open window. TenTen turned her attention from the stark white walls to her bed-ridden teammate.

She had half a mind to slap him silly, for going back out to fight immediately after going through massive surgery with a fifty-percent chance of survival. That Lee… Honor and comrades first, personal well being second. TenTen had to admit, though, she admired his unbreakable will.

Neji sat next to her, staring off to the side and pretending to not care. But no matter how superior or badass he tried to act, Lee was a part of their team, and when one hurt, the others did as well. Fighting Kimomaru had aggravated Lee's condition, so his recovery time from his surgery had drastically lengthened. He would be a ninja again, but he would need patience, as well as a good deal of prayer. Lee had TenTen as well as Neji, albeit indirectly.

"Gai-sensei, being a ninja was everything to Lee. What if all of his hard work…" TenTen had every bit of confidence in Lee's ability, but no one was indestructible.

Her teacher put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Lee is an extraordinary child. Any normal person would not have the strength to cope with the kind of pain he has gone through. Any _normal_ person, wouldn't have gone along with the surgery…" Maito Gai admired his look-alike student's courage with awed silence. "He will be fine." He patted TenTen's head, ending the conversation on a chipper note.

Gai's smile diminished as he remembered who Lee's roommates were. The two girls who had appeared at the meeting the night before were lying in beds on the other side of the room. To be in such a condition with no loved ones to watch over you… The jounin's heart broke to see such young girls in so much pain. It seemed as though they had been to Hell and back.

"Who are they?" Neji craned his neck to see around his teacher. Tsunade had put the two strange girls in the same room as Lee, so all three would be much easier to watch without making trips across the hospital. Neji never concerned himself with other people's business, but the strangers were obviously important.

"They are young ninjas like yourself, from the neutral country of Light. The girl with the silver hair is called Kiji, but we don't know anything else."

"Neutral?"

"They will take in anyone from any country, but they don't take sides." TenTen explained. "They will even aid ninja from countries that have wronged them. Other than that, they pretty much keep to themselves, so no one knows just how strong their ninja are, or if it has any clans with blood limits."

"Well said TenTen." Gai praised his student for her knowledge; she was smart as well as strong.

They looked over to the girl called "Kiji" as she began to toss and turn in her sleep.

xxxxx

The young girl slept uneasily on her futon, white hair splayed about her pillow like an unruly halo. She was not old, though; her unique hair was natural. Her mother regularly reminded her of how much she looked like her absent father.

_And speak of the devil, he's just who this young girl was dreaming about. Who is her father? What is he like? Would she be a worthy daughter to him? Those questions as well as similar ones wracked her dreaming mind, until her discomfort grew so strong that she had no choice but to forcefully open her eyes. A constant, almost deafening sound awakened her further and roused her curiosity. _

_Since when did the air get so ungodly hot and dry at night?_

_When she opened the door, she got her painful answer. A rush of hot smoke burned her eyes and sent her into a reeling fit of coughs. She lowered her head and raced out of her burning house as fast as her half-conscious body could run. _

_Her house was not alone- the entire village was ablaze._

"_Mom!" Her mind caught up to her as she frantically raced back to the house, but a body on the nearby ground stopped her in her tracks. "Mom! No!"_

_Covered in blood and with numerous shuriken protruding from her body, the girl's mother lay face-up on the ground._

"_Ki…ji…"_

"_I'm here."_

_The injured woman lifted her hand and pulled a silver chain from her neck. She dropped the bloodied necklace into her daughter's trembling hand._

"_Ki…ji…go to…Kono…haga…kure…"_

_Kiji clutched the bloodstained silver to her chest. Her father had given it to her mother, before Kiji had been conceived… Her mother didn't want to disgrace her lover, and left._

_Kiji stood, and bid a solemn good-bye to her departed mother._

xxxxx

Tsunade walked into the hospital room, accompanied by Kakashi and Kurenai. "How have they been?" She asked Gai.

"No changes." Gai turned his attention to the dark-haired one, who was still without a name. "This girl is certainly a promising one. Had she not been there to aid the Kiji girl, we would be treating one instead of two." Despite the somber mood that hung over the room, he couldn't help but be amazed at the young strangers' wills to survive.

The one who remained nameless had not so much as twitched since the girls had been put in that room. Although her body was still, her mind was not.

xxxxx

The family garden that resided within the Tsute estate was bathed with the soft glow of a full moon. A soft breeze made the decorative plants and flowers shudder, giving the crickets' songs a soft accompaniment. The sky was clear and limitless; there was not a single cloud present to restrict its celestial beauty.

It was a perfect night to watch the stars.

Koikawa breathed in the night air deeply, letting the breeze's tender hands run airy fingers through her raven hair. She traced imaginary lines in the sky with her mind, turning the stars into pictures and stories that her father had taught her so long ago, but remained in her memory as clear as the sky on this night.

"Koikawa dear, you should get dressed for bed soon. It's already ten 'o clock." Her mother, long, dark hair braided for ease of care, called to her from the back door of their expansive house.

Her daughter smoothed the cloth of her nagazuki over her lap. "I'll go in a little bit." Koikawa told her mother; not in the rash, rebellious tone of most young teenagers, but in the soft voice of someone mature beyond her years.

Eventually she did get tired and wandered back to her porch. Koikawa slipped through the sliding rice paper door and looked around for any signs of her parents.

The house was silent, and that unnerved Koikawa. Even if her parents had gone to bed, the maids should have been bustling about, cleaning up dinner and locking everything up tight. The house was dimly lit, but she could have made her way with a blindfold on. She stepped into the dining room and slipped, falling to the floor. She looked behind herself to see what she had slipped on.

No…

It couldn't be…

There's no way this is real…

She slid into a sitting position and fearfully slid back to a wall, her feet not able to push her fast enough. All the while keeping her eyes at the same spot on the floor

Koikawa fought to not vomit as she kept her eyes locked on one of the maids, body slashed open and leaking her lifeblood onto the floor. Her eyes followed a bloody trail, ending with her feet, stained crimson from when she slipped.

There was the soft sound of someone stepping on a tatami mat. Koikawa locked eyes with a stranger, leaning against one of the walls perpendicular to her. His hair was gray, but he was young. His smirk frightened her.

The calm, killer intent in his eyes frightened her, coupled with slight blood spatter on his glasses.

He pulled them from his face and wiped them on his pant leg, all the while keeping his piercing gaze on her.

Koikawa raised her hands in front of herself in a threatening way, ready to perform her family's blood limit.

"Now now, Koikawa-san. Your whole family is dead. Come with no further resistance and it will make things easier for everyone."

The girl's hands inched closer together.

"You shouldn't try anything; I can have you unconscious before you can finish your little jutsu." The stranger began to step towards her. Apprehending the girl without her performing her clan's blood limit would prove to be difficult. If he had been able to kill her, this whole thing would have been wrapped up long ago. But, Orochimaru-sama wanted the girl alive. He took another step closer to Koikawa.

Sparks flew as Koikawa clapped her hands together and concentrated. Kabuto braced himself as an enormous, crimson tiger was summoned and tackled him to the ground. He swung at its neck with a charged chakra scalpel, but it sank its enormous fangs into his forearm. It was fortunate he had pumped himself full of painkillers before he came to this village. Kabuto swung at it again with his free arm, but the beast held his other limb down with a monstrous paw.

The summoned tiger disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Traces of smoke still hung in the air as Kabuto leaped to his feet and ran outside. He looked around- there were no signs of the Tsute girl anywhere. He could not even sense her chakra signature… He healed his arm as best as he could, but he knew it would scar horribly. He had already used most of his energy finishing off the rest of this miserable little village. Now it was time to return to his commander.

xxxxx

Tsunade carefully checked over her newest patients, pleased that her healing jutsu had worked wonders on the girls; even Kiji's stomach wound was nearly closed up.

Now that they're out of the woods, maybe I'll be able to get some answers out of them. "They're fine. They'll be awake before the day is done. I know nothing about the scar on Kiji's neck, except that it's old. Nothing to worry about, though. Probably just a battle wound." Tsunade turned to the three jounins present in the room. "After examining their fresh wounds, I'm positive they're from battle. Kakashi and Gai's teams will be visiting the ruins of Kouseki Hikari tomorrow, to see what can be turned up. And if necessary, to bury any dead they may find…" The seriousness of the situation began to sink in; even Neji was a bit perturbed.

"You're taking me with you…"

The Kiji girl had woken up sooner than Tsunade expected, and her friend did as well. The one with dark hair stared at all the adults in the room apprehensively, settling on Tsunade.

"Who are you? Where's the hokage?" She demanded.

"I myself am the hokage. You've made quite the disturbance, bursting into my office all bloodied like that." Tsunade had to poke a little fun at the situation, despite herself. The dark-haired girl only stared.

"There's no need to be so edgy. Tsunade-dono won't bite." At least, I don't think she will… Kakashi thought quietly to himself, not eager to invoke the hokage's wrath by saying it out-loud. He winked at Kiji before fixing his gaze back on Tsunade. It was mysterious, the way he never took off his mask, but Kiji felt that he was trustworthy. This comforted her enough to be able to ask a big favor.

"Um, Miss Tsunade… Neither Koikawa nor I have anything to go back to. We would be grateful if we could live in Konohagakure. My mother also told me, before she died, that my father was here. Although I have no exact idea where he is or even what he looks like, or his name for that matter… But we have no desire to give up on being ninja…"

So, Dark Hair finally has a name. "I understand your situation, and will allow you to live within the village's walls. Being foreigners, you will be on probation for a time. If everything turns out to be clear, though, I see no problem in placing you on a team."

"Thank-you, Hokage-sama. We cannot thank you enough…" Kiji bowed slightly, as did Koikawa.

Tsunade desperately wanted to know more details about these strangers, but if she pressed too hard she might not get anything. She would confront them after they had settled in and the trauma had worn off. "Kakashi, would you mind escorting these dears to their new home? And TenTen, you have been here all night. You should accompany them and get some fresh air while you're at it." Tsunade looked at her with eyes that said you're doing it my way- there is no highway option.

TenTen still worried over Lee, but moping around would not hasten his recovery time. She reluctantly agreed to go. "Just tell us where, and we'll go." Kakashi and TenTen looked expectantly at Tsunade. "…You do have somewhere in mind, don't you?"

Kakashi sighed as Tsunade mumbled a quiet "not yet" and began to look around the halls outside the room. Her face grew devious as she spotted her prey.

That's how Kakashi would have put it. Oh, how he felt sorry for that poor man that Tsunade was approaching. He had only just recovered from his near-death fight against Baki from the Sand, and already the hogake had him in her sights.

"I heard you've made a full recovery. Well, besides your underlying medical condition."

"Yes Tsunade-sama, that's correct."

"Good then. I need you to watch the two survivors from Kouseki Hikari, until they are off probation."

"Hai, I can do that. I happen to be going home right now. cough"


	4. Not Quite the Truth

Whole Again

By _Ria Cola _and _ShinobiWolf_

Chapter 4: Not Quite the Truth

Tsunade accompanied Kiji and Koikawa to the lobby of the hospital in order to prepare for their stay. Their clothes were in far better condition than they had been and were easily sewn back together and patched by Koikawa. As a doctor Tsunade knew that the girls needed to be given time to recover, but her duties as Hokage towered over her personal feelings. They seemed innocent enough, but to have been the sole survivors they must have been either participants in the massacre of their village or they were the original intended targets. From their sheer amount of injuries Tsunade could tell that someone was _determined_ to either apprehend, or _kill_ them. No assassin would spend so much effort on two mere gennin girls, unless they meant something. If so, that made Konohagakure a target; and Tsunade wanted to know to what lengths she would have to go to protect the village.

"Those were quite the injuries you had." She would start small.

"It was a miracle we escaped Kouseki Hikari in the first place. If not for Koikawa, I would not have made it here…" Kiji put on her best poker face, earning a glance from Koikawa. She just knew that she was so close to finding her father, and she would not be able to stand herself if she lost this chance. She understood that Lady Tsunade had a village to protect, but the fight Kiji was in was personal. If they didn't know their secret, then Konoha would have little or no damage.

"Even if I weren't a doctor, I could still see that you've been burned. But those cuts, bruises, gashes… there's more to this story, and I'll be damned if the wool is going to be pulled over my eyes." There was no need to use pleasantries; the fate of the village was at stake.

"Do you really want us to answer that?" Kiji stated, perhaps a bit too cockily. Koikawa glared at her. Kiji's injuries must have gone to her head, because she knew better than to act as such around someone of Tsunade's importance.

"You should be more respectful of someone who has control over your fate." Tsunade eyed the other girl. "You've been quiet lately. Is there anything you should be telling me?"

"Nothing we haven't already said." Koikawa didn't even bother to make eye contact with her.

"Don't play dumb! I'm not Hokage for nothing; I know a cover-up when I see one. Now, perhaps you would like to rephrase your answer?" Tsunade hoped to have the upper hand in the situation, but this Koikawa girl had stubbornness to match that of the Uchiha brat.

"I stand with my answer. Now if you would be so kind to excuse us, Tsunade-dono, our escort is here." Koikawa jogged to meet up with the waiting group.

"I'm sorry we've been so difficult to work with. I understand your duties to Konohagakure, but please, give us some time. That's all I ask…" Kiji asked, her eyes pleading.

Tsunade nodded. "I'll give you the night, but I'll be paying you a visit in the morning. Go on, the others are waiting for you…"

xxxxx

Hayate led the way to his apartment, while Kakashi followed the back of the group. He had to make sure that neither of the newcomers wandered off; and besides, he didn't know where the heck the sickly man lived. TenTen walked with the girls, making conversation and trying to make them feel more welcome.

"It must be hard… To have lost your families like that."

"We'll manage." Koikawa said. "I lost my entire clan, but Kiji has been a bit more lucky than me."

TenTen puzzled. "But if you have some family left, then why not live with them?"

"It's not as simple as Koikawa says." Kiji tried to playfully slap her friend, but the dark-haired girl casually stepped to the side to avoid it. "I lived alone with my mother; her family resented my existence and tried to remedy that on numerous occasions. I know nothing of my father, except that he lives in this village and my mother had to abandon him for some reason or another. That's why my mother named me after the word for 'abandonment.'" Contrary to her tragic story, Kiji kept a smile on her face. _No one ever wants pity._

"It's not uncommon to have no parents, especially with _our_ careers. Look around any street in this village, and you'll see plenty of abandoned or orphaned children."

Kiji glanced around and the residents of the village going about with their daily lives. Just two days ago, she had been doing the same… But her mother was gone now, and it was all her fault. If she had not been born… But what could Koikawa possibly be feeling right now? Her mother's killers had destroyed the entire village just to get her dark-haired friend's blood limit.

Koikawa was looking all around herself as they walked, taking in the various aspects of the village. Her family was the last thought in her mind, and she preferred it to be that way. Grieving over their deaths would not bring them back. Her family no doubt fought hard before their demise, and there was no shame in that.


	5. Family Relations

Whole Again

By _Ria Cola _and _ShinobiWolf_

Chapter 5: Family Relations

_Trees blurred past Koikawa as she ran around the outskirts of Kouseki Hikari. She shoved the memory of her family's deaths to the back of her mind; she told herself there would be time to mourn for them later, but in reality, the full effect of her loss did not yet register with her. _

_Even after she had started to head away from the village, the heat was unbearable. The smoke stung her eyes and made her wheeze, but she had to find out if Kiji had made it out all right. She knew that Kiji wasn't home… Koikawa had already stopped there; and she did not want to go back. Not seeing Kiji home was a breath of relief; Koikawa had been to the four homes of their other teammates. They were lying on the ground in their own blood, at least, the ones who had made it out of their houses in the first place…_

_Kiji and Koikawa had played in an abandoned cabin as children, which was about a fifteen-minute run from the edge of the village. As they got older it served as a special place to go if either of them wanted to be alone, and was often a meeting spot after their separate teams went on missions. It was the place where they would meet each other should an emergency arise._

_This definitely counted._

_Koikawa ran faster when she saw that blood was smeared on the front porch. When she came to the cabin, she slowed up dramatically; should there be any enemy ninja there, she didn't want to bring attention to herself. Purposely avoiding the crimson stain on the dilapidated front porch, she cautiously cracked open the door and made sure that the coast was clear, before tiptoeing inside. _

_She felt a presence behind her._

_Not taking any chances, she pinned the other person to the wall and held a kunai dangerously close to their neck. Koikawa's green eyes widened when they made contact with frightened brown ones. She dropped her kunai, relieved._

"_Kiji? You should be more careful- I could have killed you!"_

"_How very fortunate- I would be beside myself if I didn't get to kill the little brat myself! A loud voice called from outside the cabin. _

_Kiji's voice was urgent. "I barely made it here… those foreign ninja- they attacked me, and are after you… but I don't know why…" Kiji's breathing was terribly labored. She looked as though she had been through literal Hell. The haggard girl had lost a good deal of blood, mostly from a large wound in her stomach. _

_Koikawa jerked back when the enemy ninja outside began to pound on the weak door. A bloodied katana jutted between the door and the frame, forcefully prying the door open. The two girls prepared themselves as the door collapsed on the floor. _

_Kiji stiffened as she recognized the man who had attacked her. He was clothed entirely in black save for his eyes and disheveled hair, but his murderous, glinting eyes were one of a kind. She would not forget them anytime soon; they were the kind of eyes one thought they saw in the darkness at night, or the kind that would haunt your dreams._

_He made no effort to hide his crimson-stained katana._

"_Miss Koikawa, you've arrived just in time to witness your friend's violent and untimely end."_

_Kiji gave her friend a reassuring glance, but Koikawa knew that they were only human. Two young girls versus a grown, killing-machine of a man. _

_The enemy ninja glared harmful intent, mostly directed at Kiji. "You're very confident, for being a disgusting vermin…"_

_Koikawa couldn't take the way he was speaking to her best friend. "What do you want with me!" A good ninja was to keep all emotions in check in the face of danger, but she could feel her fury slowly seeping into her veins._

"_I don't think it's necessary for you to know that right now…" The man started to step towards them. _

_Koikawa drew a smoke bomb from the inside of her robe and chucked it at the floor with no hesitation. Pulling Kiji behind her, she leaped out the window and ran into the thickest part of the forest. Shuriken whizzed past them as they escaped, many of which grazed their skin. _

_They may have been weaker, but there was only the one ninja after them. The girls used their number to their advantage and ran in different directions. Separate, they could travel much faster and have a better chance of losing their pursuer. _

_A hand flew out of nowhere and grabbed Kiji by the neck. She could feel the wetness of blood on her head as she was slammed into a tree and held there. She struggled to breath as the enemy ninja removed his mask. The man twisted his face in fake concern as Kiji continued to struggle to free her neck._

"_What's the matter? Don't you recognize your dear old Uncle Zansatsu? I believed we've met before, on similar terms…"_

_Kiji knew him, all right. He had tried to slit her and her mother's throats when she was six. The village had upped security after that, but there was nothing protecting her now._

"_My tramp of a sister loved that shinobi more than her own family. She disgraced us, and left because of you… "_

_Blood began to trickle from Kiji's mouth. "And you think… I deliberately caused Mom to leave you?" _

"_You look so much like your bastard father… I wonder what would happen if you showed up dead on his doorstep? The daughter he never knew he had… Of course, I'll kill him soon after…" Zansatsu landed a blow on the side of Kiji's head, his other hand squeezing her neck tighter and tighter by the second._

_xxxxx_

_Koikawa had run into more enemy ninja after the two had separated. She had dispatched them, but not without much difficulty. She had received a hard blow to her head and was having trouble staying conscious. She pinched herself when her eyelids began to droop again_.

"_No… I have to stay awake long enough to get Kiji and myself to Konoha…."_

_When she was positive the leader didn't know she was there, she chucked a shuriken at his arm, letting Kiji fall to the ground unconscious. Zansatsu held his arm where it bled, but he didn't show any outward signs of pain. "Dearest little Koikawa…. come with me peacefully and you won't gain any more injuries."_

_Zansatsu fell to the ground, senbon piercing the pressure points in his neck. _

_Kiji was behind him, standing on shaky legs. _

"_We have to run now. He's only stunned…"_

_Koikawa grinned a tired smile at her friend. The dark-haired girl knew that Kiji would become a great ninja in the medical field, with all of the techniques her mother taught her. The silver-haired girl hadn't the heart to take a life. She preferred to use senbon rather than shuriken to fell her opponents, only temporarily knocking them out._

_Koikawa aided Kiji in walking. "Let's go find your father…"_

xxxxx

Koikawa gazed up at the ceiling of Gekkou Hayate's spare room, from where she lay on a futon, next to Kiji. Her face furrowed as a thought occurred to her.

"Kiji… what of your father do you know so far?"

An awkward silence passed as Koikawa received no answer. Had she pushed too far? But the death of Kiji's mother had left her alone in terms of family… The sooner they could find her father, the sooner her pain of loss could perhaps be lessened.

"…He lives here… and I look just like him… that's all."

Koikawa could not see her friends face; there was no telling exactly what kind of mood she was in.

"That, and I have a pendant he had received for extraordinary bravery…"

The dark-haired girl had her guess as to who the man in question could have been. She was about to suggest the idea to Kiji, but her friend had already fallen asleep.

xxxxx

Bright sunlight streamed through the windows. The rays danced over Kiji's light-colored face, making her groan in annoyance, covering her face with one of her arms to block the brightness out. Just as she was drifting back to semi-peaceful sleep, something big, sticky, and wet rubbed against her cheek.

"Eeek!" She squeaked, suddenly sitting up and flailing at whatever nasty thing had the nerve to touch her. Wiping saliva off her face, she opened her eyes and suddenly remembered that Hayate-san had a four-legged roommate.

Hige whined in protest from being shooed away from one of his new friends. Kiji didn't mind dogs, but she could do without the wet wake-up calls. She preferred cats, anyway.

Koikawa, on the other hand, could never get enough of any animal. Her entire family had been like that… She beckoned Hige over to her futon so she could pamper him with pets and kisses. The black and tan wolf dog soaked the attention right up; by the way he acted, one could hardly tell that one of his parents had been that of a wolf and a rottweiler.

The two girls looked up when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." Kiji called.

The door opened, a familiar blonde head poking in.

"I hope you've had a rested night. I'm ready to learn a little more about you." Tsunade walked in, her face all business. Hayate followed, closing the door after himself.


	6. Memories

**Whole Again**

By _RiaCola _and _ShinobiWolf_

_ShinobiWolf here. Following this chapter, Miss Tsunade will be working on a **very** big stack of paperwork, thus appearing in little more than cameos for a long while. Want this story to actually be based on Kakashi, Hayate, and the younger ones we all know and love. .;; _

Chapter 6: Memories

Tsunade had shown up shortly after the girls awoke the next morning, wanting to waste as little time as possible. She gave Hayate concise orders to interrogate the Kiji girl while she invited the other one into the living room.

Kiji studied her soon-to-be interrogator apprehensively.

Without his jounin vest and forehead protector, Hayate appeared to be a normal, sickly young man. Although he certainly wasn't build for endurance, he was still a Konoha jounin. And Kiji's mind made sure she knew that.

He took a casual seat on Koikawa's already-made futon.

"An old injury."

Kiji blinked at his unexpected remark.

He grinned grimly, poking the left side of his chest below his heart. "Sword pierced my lung, and it never healed properly. Got a fantastic scar to prove it, too."

Hayate was explaining his sickly appearance.

So he wasn't ill.

"I can see how that would cause your cough. My mom is- ...was... a medical ninja. She taught me a lot before... you know..."

If the young man's comment was meant to put her at ease, he succeeded by at least a little, even though the girl was a natural at keeping her composure.

His patient gaze encouraged her on.

"I woke up in the middle of the night to smoke and heat. The village was already half-burned down by the time I got out of bed."

Hayate nodded. "Meaning you're not responsible. So do you have any idea who is?" It was difficult to tell whether he was humoring her or believed her. The latter seemed a little more likely.

"My Uncle." A thought occurred to her. "Well, he was part of it. He mostly wanted to kill **me**."

Judging from her bluntness, the two were obviously never close to begin with. "Why?"

Kiji was relieved to know the questioning would be simple and easy by speaking standards. She hated when people danced around the subject and she didn't know what the hell they wanted. Judging from what he told her was an injury, Hayate wouldn't be one to squander his precious oxygen.

She smiled and straightened her posture. "Because I'm a bastard child."

He raised an eyebrow. Was she acting... proud?

Kiji shrugged, entertained by his expression. "' You have the youngest and sexiest mom in the village' – mom told me that ever since I was five." She giggled; but her mood quickly grew solemn. "Mom's brother hates the both of us for it. And he would lop off all his limbs for the chance to murder my dad."

"He wasn't killed in the massacre?"

Kiji shook her head. "No. Unless he's already died in the line of duty, he should be living in Konohagakure. Not a clue who it could be, though. Not even a name.

There are no bloodlimits in any of my family. I have no idea where my mom was originally from, but she had only lived in Kouseki Hikari since she was pregnant with me. My parents were both fifteen; mom didn't want to hurt dad's career as an honorable Konoha ninja. I can assure you they didn't part on bad terms."

Hayate off-hand wondered if the father was anyone he knew; if he were indeed still alive, he would only be a few years Hayate's elder.

"I'm assuming your 'uncle' wasn't working alone."

"The group of ninja he belonged to was from Sound Country, and he **did** come with many others. I told you already he'll stop at nothing to get at my father, and he's sure to find out that I survived..."

He instinctively tensed at the mention of "Sound", but the girl knew little else about that night. "Tell me anything you know about your uncle's physical appearance and we'll be done."

She didn't bother to hide her relief. "Didn't get a good look at anyone else. Honey-brown hair, long, and covering his right eye; hazel eyes, should be about twenty-three by now. Sound headband twisted to the left side of his head."

He stood, but Kiji called to him before he left. "If you don't mind me asking... how... did you get your injury?"

Hayate smiled. A small one. "I wasn't about to let my teammate die."

"...You remind me of Koikawa's brother." She paused. "...she'll like you..."

Hayate nodded in understanding before reaching for the door.

xxxxx

"Those seals tattooed on your palms are rather interesting."

"I may be twelve, but I understand to what lengths hidden villages will go to get their hands on a foreign blood limit."

The venomous comment surprised Tsunade; not for its audacity, but for her maturity in such a situation. The older woman smiled.

"As long as you're not planning to assassinate me or harm this country, I have no need to hurt or take advantage of you."

Koikawa turned up her palms, gazing at the elaborate markings on each.

On her right hand, the kanji for "light;" and on the other, the kanji for "darkness;" each symbol was surrounded by seal markings, as were tattooed in respective colors.

"Everyone in my clan had them. Each baby is marked a couple of years after birth. But unlike the Hyuuga family, it's hardly a curse."

Tsunade took the girl's left hand in her own, examining the seal. "And what would having these markings entail?"

Koikawa hesitated for a moment.

"The power to call any summon spirit you can think of, and near limitless chakra to do it with."

The Fifth widened her eyes in shock, half expecting the girl to be pulling her leg.

"Within reason." Koikawa smiled at Tsunade's surprise. "Only the most highly skilled Tsute can summon the higher spirits. I would not be able to reach that level of expertise for many more years; and even then, my family's extraordinary chakra would be barely enough to summon just one. Even if someone were to copy the seals onto their own hands, they would be useless without Tsute blood in the user's veins. Meaning we're obvious naturals for chakra control.

Tsunade's mind immediately went to Naruto and his failed attempts at summoning frogs.

"I know it sounds like I'm bragging," Koikawa said. "But you did ask what I was capable of."

"And I'm truly grateful for that." Tsunade had fun learning about a new blood-limit, but it was time to get down to business. "So... can you tell me why Kouseki Hikari was destroyed?" She let her initial question register in the girl's mind. "To eliminate it as a possible power, or was it something else?"

Koikawa played with a stray thread on the couch cushion. "...My family's blood-limit... that was probably the primary reason."

The Hokage watched as the girl's eyes grew vacant. The full grief of her loss had not come yet, and there was no telling when her breaking point would be.

"I was chosen to be the one kept alive... and my family was murdered to deter the obstacle of anyone who could match me. They either want my summoning ability, or my reserve of chakra."

"They?" Tsunade questioned.

"The one who killed my family wasn't alone."

"Can you describe any of them?"

Koikawa shook her head.

"Only two, and Kiji could give you a better description of one, but the other..." Koikawa's voice wavered in fear as she remembered the hateful, piercing stare.

Over the next few minutes, the severity of the situation grew heavy on the Fifth's mind. She had her suspicions as the young summoner described the assassin's silver hair and bespeckled eyes; but the music note on his forehead protector eliminated all doubt.

"I see." Tsunade stood. "This changes the situation entirely."

Koikawa's green eyes had a tinge of fear and defensiveness in them, but she was relieved when Tsunade gave her a reassuring pat on the head.

Just then, Hayate emerged from the spare room.

xxxxx

The lantern-lit trees were silent, for the springtime birds had long since gone to sleep. The grounds below, however, were another story entirely.

The coming of springtime to Konoha Village was always a big celebration. Nearly everything was decorated, and thousands of paper lanterns gave the village a soft yellow glow. Minor missions were put off for the duration of the festival, giving most of the shinobi of the village some much appreciated time off.

Hyuuga Neji and Hinata were expected to attend various events and occasions as members of their prestigious clan, but the time off was nonetheless a relief, the usually tense air between the two cousins much more relaxed and almost enjoyable. Much more so when Hinata's father, the head of the clan, had the unfortunate pleasure of a visit from Hinata's rambunctious teammate Inuzuka Kiba... and a few high-strung dogs, soaked to the bone from romping around in the river. Neji's teammates, Rock Lee and TenTen, had no family of their own and were celebrating with their teacher, Maito Gai. Most of the other young ninja were out with their families.

Clad in her peach and lavender-colored kimono, Sakura was enjoying a picnic dinner with her family. She was caught off-guard when a shrill, familiar yell shattered the peaceful air.

"Saakuraaa!"

She smiled as her parents winced; Sakura was used to Naruto's antics by now, annoying as they were. "Hehe... hi, Naruto."

xxxxx

While the calm night breeze danced through the leaves, Kakashi relaxed against the trunk of a large, old tree; one old enough to remember both the troubled times and the peaceful ones alike. There was still a slight buzz in his system, from a light drinking contest with other teachers, jounins, and dateless wonders in general. He laughed bitter-sweetly.

Tenchiko never could hold her liquor.

Ignoring how his competitors marveled at Kakashi's ability to down a cup of sake without revealing his face, said Copy Ninja had retreated to this deserted corner of the festival grounds to spy on what other people were up to.

Gai had turned down the friendly drinking competition, declaring that, "the flowers of youth were in need of careful tending."

Tending shmending. He just didn't want Lee to get smashed.

...what if Kakashi hadn't listened to him? If he had ignored Gai and blindly run after Tenchiko, would things have been any different?

She and their baby-to-be were probably long gone by the time he had read that note.

Kakashi laughed, thinking about his students.

Naruto would have done something, and beat up anyone who got in his way.

xxxxx

While Kakashi watched the people at the festival, little did he know that he was also someone else's point of interest.

Warm brown eyes spied from a branch in a neighboring tree. Their owner thought there was something familiar about the man, other than the fact that he had been there when she woke up in the hospital. He seemed to have something on his mind.

"I've never seen a festival this big."

Kakashi jerked his face to the side, mildly surprised. Either he had more to drink than he thought, or he was losing it with age.

Kiji gracefully dropped from the tree. "Sorry if I startled you..."

He waved it off. "It's my fault for dropping my guard." Kakashi smiled.

"Nonsense. I'm the one who's good at hiding my chakra..."

"Impressive. So are our humble festivities to your liking?"

"It's like a breath of fresh air. For once my mind wasn't on my village."Kakashi nodded in understanding. "So where's your friend?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "TenTen and Lee pulled her to goodness-knows-where... oh-" A thought occurred to her. "Miss Tsunade told me you were the teacher of... " She thought. "...cell seven, correct?"

"Yes. Does she need something?"

She said nothing, but pulled a folded paper from her hip bag and handed it to him.

"Hmm..." His eyes scanned over the note. It was from the Fifth, just as he had guessed.

Kiji tried hopelessly to read the man's thoughts; but that mask just covered too much. Miss Tsunade was testing their loyalty already by telling Kiji not to read it.

The girl complied faithfully.

"Well." Kakashi folded the note and tucked it into his vest. Kiji waited with anticipation.

_Was it about us?_

"It seems Tsunade has already placed you on temporary teams, to evaluate and keep an eye on you until your probation is up."

"Really?" It seemed the interrogation that morning went well for the two girls. Kiji was afraid the Hokage would jump to the wrong conclusion... but it seems her fears were unfounded.

"From this moment on, you can call me 'Kakashi-sensei'."

xxxxx

Elsewhere, TenTen and Koikawa were sipping tea, watching Lee dance.

At least, that's what they assumed he was doing. Koikawa never was skilled at that kind of thing. Whenever Kiji wanted to dance, Koikawa would give some lame excuse to get out of it. The whole thing usually ended with Kiji and her future teammates dragging the other girl to the dance floor by her feet. The first time Koikawa had been stubborn, the silver-haired girl tried to force her friend to dance on her own; it proved futile, because Koikawa was much heavier and stronger than her.

Rather than protect and preserve his student's health, Gai was adding fuel to the fire by cheering Lee on, proudly remarking that only one of his bright flowers of youth recover from such injuries so quickly.

TenTen took a hearty swig of her tea.

They would be in for a rude awakening when the prescription painkillers wore off.

"Maybe we should stop him..."

"Hey, you'd better get over here before I eat your ramen!" TenTen shouted. This caught Lee's attention rather quickly.

The three began to eat as Lee went on about all the "dance" moves that he had yet to try.

"Really now. Miss Tsunade wouldn't be too happy to know you're this active so shortly after surgery. I've only been in this village for a couple days, and I already know not to mess with her. But I cringe at what may happen if _I'm_ forced to take drastic action..."

Koikawa paused. Lee was staring at her with the oddest expression on his face.

He eagerly took her hand in both of his, earning from her a bewildered stare.

"I am lucky to have a charming angel such as yourself watch over my recovery..."

xxxxx

Long after the festivities were over, after the partying, sleeping, people watching, and treating his new student to some dinner, Kakashi arrived home to his haphazard apartment sometime in the early morning. Tossing his vest onto his bed and cracking his neck with one of his rough hands, he noticed a familiar, red book sitting on his shelf, apart from his usual questionable reading. One brown eye dull, he pulled the well-kept photo album onto his lap.

It hurt to not have her with him.

Funny... Kakashi had numerous pictures of Tenchiko sitting right there in front of him, yet she was so many miles away...

A fresh look at some of his most cherished pictures spurred a thought. He looked to one of the picture frames by the head of his bed.

Himself, Obito, Rin, and the Fourth as their teacher.

Early in term or not, a pregnant teenager would not be able to travel a dramatic distance. That was even moreso clear when Kakashi took into account that Tenchiko was no ninja. She may have passed through Kouseki Hikari all those years ago.

Another, darker thought played around Kakashi's mind.

...that Tenchiko may not have passed through Kouseki Hikari...

...that she may have taken up residence there...

He dared not to think of what he may find when both his and Gai's teams visited the remains of that small village to tally the dead. Kiji and Koikawa were the only two documented survivors. Maybe... just maybe, there were more.

Kakashi knew it was just a shot in the dark. Through all his experiences, though, he learned that giving up on anyone was not an option. He credited that to his teammates.

He glanced at the picture of his former team again.

The Fourth died protecting the village.

Kakashi would have lost his life had Obito not given his own.

Rin died in the line of duty, healing a fellow teammate; she never saw the enemy approaching behind her.

He remembered that time clearly.

Rin was nineteen, and it was her last mission before retiring to start a family. The wedding was due to take place three months later...

Attending the funeral with honors, the morbid thought of Tenchiko dying in a similar way tortured him.

Kakashi sighed as he closed the photo album, admonishing his over-active mind for making him depressed. He turned out the lights and flopped on his bed, rubbing his eyes with an ungloved hand.

There was a long journey ahead of them tomorrow.

Little did Kakashi know that he eventually _would_ find his lover and child.

Just not the way he expected...


End file.
